NOTE:
The following message was sent by President Robert A. Corrigan to SFSU
students on July 16, 2003.

Dear SFSU
student:

I have promised
to let you know immediately of any change in student fees, and so I am
writing to inform you that today, July 16, the California State University
Board of Trustees approved a 30% increase in both undergraduate and graduate
fees, effective with the fall 2003 semester. In dollar terms, this means
that full-time undergraduate students will pay $1240 per semester, up
from $1002 last spring, and full-time graduate student fees will be $1345
per semester, up from $1083. Part-time fees will be $811 for undergraduates
(up from $672) and $871 for graduate students (up from $720).

Given the
state’s budget shortfall, we have anticipated a fee increase of
some sort, and, as my May message to you noted, SFSU’s financial
aid awards for 2003-04 were based on a 25% undergraduate / 20% graduate
fee hike. Now that we know the actual increase, the Office of Student
Financial Aid will automatically adjust State University Grants (SUGs)
for students who are receiving those grants.

When the
new state budget is approved, we believe that it will include an increase
in Cal Grants as well. Most of you who are receiving financial aid have
already been given the maximum award. A few of you, however, who are
not receiving Cal Grants or SUGs may be eligible for more loans or work-study.
To check on this, go to the Financial
Aid Web site, or consult a Financial Aid counselor.

I have given
you the facts. Now let me say a few words about the difficult decision
the trustees faced. Looking at massive reductions in the California State
University budget, they had these choices: 1) tell the campuses simply
to face the budget cuts with no help a choice that would lead, on this
campus and others, to enrollment freezes, faculty/staff layoffs and fewer
classes for the remaining students, or 2) increase fees to help bridge
the gap.

I believe
the trustees made the best decision in a bad situation. I know that some
of you will be hard hit by this fee increase and I deeply sympathize
with you. You want, and deserve, an affordable and high-quality education.
But given the state budget, a fee increase is the only way to preserve
your chance for that education.

On this campus,
we have looked for the least painful ways to make the multi-million dollar
cuts that remain even with higher fees. We have worked hard to take as
much as possible out of areas other than the classroom. We are proud
that for this fall, you will have access to as many classes as before
the cuts. We would not have been able to do this without the fee increase.

Even with
the new fees, a California State University education remains one of
the least expensive in the entire U.S. In fact, we rank at the very bottom
of the list of public universities the CSU uses for comparison purposes
-- and that is even more striking because we are comparing those institutions’ 2002/03
fees (the newest information we have) with our 2003/04 fees.

I know that
statistics are small consolation to individual students trying to balance
their budgets, but I do want to offer this perspective.

These are
difficult times for our state and for the California State University.
I want you to know, however, that at San Francisco State you are going
to get all the help and encouragement we can offer to keep you in school
and to offer you the course schedule you need to earn your degree.